Salt & Wind Travel

Little Gems Salad with Avocado Green Goddess Dressing Recipe

I’m a California girl through and through and Green Goddess is too, which is why I’m totally partial to it as my go-to Spring dressing.

What Is Green Goddess Dressing? 

This dressing has been around—by some accounts, since the 1920s when a chef at the Palace Hotel made his West Coast version of the classic French sauce verte. Green Goddess was all the rage right about the time Madonna came out with Material Girl, but, with time, this dressing went the way of shoulder pads and became all but obsolete. 

I’m bringing it back in a big way but with a few tweaks, namely making it vegan by adding avocado in place of mayonnaise and packing it with as many herbs as possible.

What Are Little Gem Lettuces?

And, if you’re going to make Green Goddess, it is absolutely essential that you serve it with a lettuce worth of it — one that has a good structure, a nice sweetness, yet is delicate, like Little Gems lettuce.

These lettuces sound more like something out of a Tiffany’s catalogue than something out of the garden but trust me that they’re more than worthy of their name.

I had never had them before I moved to the Bay Area and was immediately in love because they’re like an heirloom romaine lettuce with a bit of sweetness and a nice firm crispness that makes for a pretty amazing salad.

They’re available at most California farmers’ markets but you can use baby romaine hearts if you can’t find them. 

Go stock up on all your cooking essentials then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!

Plate of salad with serving pieces
Little Gems Salad with Avocado Green Goddess Dressing Recipe

Little Gems Salad with Avocado Green Goddess Dressing Recipe

Green Goddess dressing was created in California in the 1920s but it became all but obsolete. Every Spring, we bring it back but with this Little Gems Salad with Avocado Green Goddess Dressing Recipe. This is made vegan by adding in avocado in place of mayonnaise and packing it with as many herbs as possible.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 18 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 firm avocado pitted and diced
  • 1 bunch snipped fresh chives
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat Italian parsley
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon leaves
  • 1/4 cup orange muscat vinegar or champagne vinegar
  • 2 tablespooons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/8 Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 handfuls carrots
  • 2 handfuls radishes
  • 4 ounces Little Gems Lettuce or Butter Lettuce
  • 1 handful pepitas

Instructions
 

  • Make The Green Goddes Dressing: Combine everything except the radishes, carrots, pepitas, and lettuce in a mini food processor and mix until smooth and well combined. Stir in 1/4 water to mellow the flavors and loosen the dressing; set aside at least 10 minutes for flavors to develop.
  • Assemble The Salad: Slice the radishes and carrots into paper thin slices using a very sharp knife or a mandolin. To serve, divide lettuce among serving plates, top with radishes, carrots, and pepitas and top with a drizzle of the salad dressing.

PERSONAL NOTES

Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 18kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 587mgPotassium: 150mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1309IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 1mg
Keyword california salad, classic california recipe, green goddess dressing
Tried this recipe?Mention @saltandwind or tag #swsociety!

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